Devizes RAF veteran gets downstairs toilet, thanks to charity

Matt and his family - wife Sarah daughters Erin, Ellie and puppy Ember

A RAF veteran has praised a charity for helping him regain his dignity after suffering a stroke.

Matt Wilks, 46, from Devizes, Wiltshire, was left with life changing disabilities by the stroke, which he suffered in December 2021.

His injuries left him unable to work or access his upstairs toilet.

However, the RAF Association has now stepped in to install a fully accessible bathroom downstairs to help Mr Wilks.

The former Supermarine RFC rugby front row player said the support he has received had been "fantastic".

Matt Wilks in hospital just after he suffered a stroke

Despite a serious skiing accident ending his military career 18 years ago, Mr Wilks had been building a successful second career with the Ministry of Defence when he suffered his stroke.

Mr Wilks told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "Emotionally you go through a massive roller-coaster.

"In terms of loss of use of your body and, 'How are we going to survive as a family, how am I going to pay my bills?'"

To exacerbate the problem, the family home was undergoing a major refit at the time, and the downstairs bathroom was just a "hole in the wall", he said.

Matt Wilks has been doing rehabilitation exercises from his home

But the RAF Association secured £5,000 through the RAF Benevolent Fund to build the bathroom he needed, helping Mr Wilks physically and mentally.

"It's really important when you have any kind of disability to be able to live independently as best you can," he said.

"Little things like having a loo downstairs, having a shower you can get in and out of safely without a door makes a massive, massive difference."

The association's support was "an immense thing", said Mr Wilks. "You realise you're part of this wider community - it's fantastic," he added.

That support has also enabled the adaptation of the family car, allowing Mr Wilks to return to work.

Chloe Moore, Regional Case Work Officer for the RAF Association

Chloe Moore, regional casework officer for the RAF Association, managed Mr Wilk's case with another volunteer.

"We've got around 1,200 volunteers across the UK and abroad. They're here to support people to promote their independence, their dignity, and to give them the tools that they need to move forward," said Ms Moore.

Despite Mr Wilks' stroke not being related to his service, the charity still provided support for him.

"The RAF Association support anybody that does at least one day's service and that also extends to their connections, so that could be spouses or children as well," said Ms Moore.

With rehabilitation going well Mr Wilks said he was determined to give something back to the charity.

"I'm looking to do some charity work in the near future to pay back the help and assistance I've been given," he said.

"I've lots of ideas that are going to challenge me mentally and physically and hopefully we'll raise a bit of money."